Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/251/1 - 1915 - 1936 - Part 31

Arkell Rd. Mt Roskill.
Auckland. S.3. N.Z. 16/6/35.
Capt. C. E W Bean.
Victoria Barracks.
Sydney
Dear Capt Bean,
HANGARD WOOD.
The following is an extract from my diary for the period
mentioned in yours of June 4th. :-
"5" April.  At Blangy Tronville. 10.a.m. ordered to reconnoitre ground towards Fouilloy, and
to arrange for relief of elements of an English Bde: on the high ground
above Blangy.  Arranged relief and Coys moved 2. pm to effect it.
Stopped by runner 2.15 pm., until overtaken by Bn: 3 pm; then whole
unit moved forward via GENTELLES to relieve in the front
line.  Relieved ESSEX REGT and elements of another Bde: astride the centre of
HANGARD. WOOD. in a few pot holes on a frontage of about 800 yds.
Relief Complete 2. am.  A tight corner with Hangard Village half a mile
away held by D Coys (MORGAN JONES) - with the French somewhere on
his right again.  On my left 19th BN is a few very detached posts.
6^th  2.30. am. Lt. COULAHAN, M.G. Coy. found a prisoner just outside Support H.Q.
Coulahan a big raw boned fellow surprised himself and the Hun
by colliding in the dark.  Grabbed the Jerry and threw him into
the bivvy like a bundle of skins.
The position of posts was obscure, not having been known
by the Tommies.  At day break a party of Huns appeared on the
edge of their half of the Bois opposite our pot hole system, but
were dispersed, leaving us a prisoner, wounded.  2 pm. ordered
to see C.O at 3 pm.  Enemy aeroplanes thick above.  Passed
two French armoured cars in the way to Bn: H.Q.  There got
word that prisoners stated CORBIE would be in their hands
that night, and also that they were concentrating against Bois
ie Hangard.  Got preliminary verbal orders for an attack to
establish a line from xxx^N'EAST of the Bois to a position
in the village of Hangard.  Returned and prepared for the attack.
The men were very tired after xx their recent rapid movements,
and their conditions in shallow wet chalk holes very cramped
and cold.
7^th  At 2.15 am received word that "C" Coy. and one Coy: 19^th were to do the
attack, supported on either flank by a detached platoon from
the rear with supporting objectives.  My flank support in charge
of Treacher.  Zero hour 4.55 am.  Attacked at that hour, and
cleaned up our front without much loss.  Our objective were
enfiladed by M.G. fire from the slope forward of Hangard
village, and right flank wiped out by counter attack coming
up a re-entrant under cover of the M.G. fire.  No support from
Treacher in evidence.  Maxwell of 19^th came over to say he
had no support on his left flank, and was retiring.  A
chalet on my right front seemed unoccupied, and the enemy
not yet worked in that far, I sent Sgt. Clifton and a Section
to reconnoitre and hold it, as offering the only cover possible
on that flank.  Then tried to dig in with trenching tools - no
other tools.  Clifton occupied chalet.  M.G. opened from our right
flank rear, and began to cut us up.  xxx x Corp. Paul located
it, and I sent him with two men to go back and work round
behind it with rifle grenades.  Shortly after it ceased fire,
but I did not see the Corp. ^again. M.Gs. from Hangard ^direction now get on
to us heavily, and enemy troops surrounded the chalet,
cutting it off, and started to work in behind us.  I had to
withdraw, which we did in good order, clearing our wounded
with us.  Sgt. Clifton put up a scrap for some time after we
withdrew.  Before leaving the objective, we were able to wipe
out with L.Gs two attempts to concentrate in ^a shallow depression
along our front.  Saw things straight in our old position.

and, having been wounded in chest and arm, handed over to Lt: Elliott.
and reported to Major MacDonald at support H.Q. and later to Bn: [[?]]
Bde: on the way to C.C.S."
This is all that my written records show.  As for as 
my memory serves Bn: H.Q was in same gun fire about a mile
behind the front line in the direction of Gentelles, with a Company (?A) -
in reserve.  Major MacDonald I think was Second in Command of Bn:
and was in a chalk pit with his old Coy: "D" at the Southern edge
of the Wood on the Hangard-Cashy road.  I enclose a snap of this
chalk pit, which shows that the Bois was only very light scrub.
Most of that we fought through was about the same, excepting
the right flank where it was little more than stubble, and,
once daylight came, wide open to M.Gs on the higher ground to
the S.E.  My company was "C" Company, and I had with me
Lt Blyth, and, I think, Lt. Thomas, but I am not certain of him.
Coulahan I did not see after leaving Bn: H.Q., where I arranged
for him to give me all the cover ^he could on the weak right flank.
where there was a gap of nearly half a mile behind between
us and Morgan Jones in Hangard Village.  As you will see from
the Map (HARBONNIERES.1.40.000) this gap was low lying from my
position, and not fully visible at any point held by me
during the action.  At Bn. H.Q it was arranged that a
platoon should endeavour to move up this depression and
cover the flank, and at the same time "B" Coy should provide
what cover they could.  Subsequently I heard that this
platoon either got no order, or got them too late.  At any event
they never moved.  All arrangements were made verbally
at Bn: H.Q with the then C.O., a temporary one whose name
I have no memory of - excepting the time of zero hour, and
the detail of supporting platoon.  As I remember it I
think I had only about 70/80 bayonets in "C" and hopped over
with about 120, so must have got some from either A or
D - probably the latter.  Casualties were very heavy, but I can't
say exactly, as I remained in the scrub on the enemy side
for some time potting at the Huns as they came up through the
scrub.  When I finally moved over to our posts, most of our
wounded had been cleared.  I had lost a bit of blood by then
and was not at my keenest, so cannot recall much detail
of the wounded.  In withdrawing I had our wounded
moved out in the open on the Northern edge of the wood, and
along that edge to our position - under cover of the guns in
the 19^th Bn: posts.  On our way back we found Lt. Blyth
badly wounded in the stomach with several M.G. bullets: Sgt:
Sparks and myself carried him out to our stretcher bearers.
Elliott later told me he had died, I think.  An old hand, and
one of the best I had the luck to fight alongside of.
Our objective was never definitely fixed, but I was
told we were to secure the wood, and the artillery would shell the
dip beyond the wood.  I actually stopped on a disused road
on the Eastern edge of the wood overlooking the hollow beyond.
No I did not see Coulahan again, but I should say that
he was the sort that would push up ahead himself, when he
found my support missing.  The first counter attack on my
right flank was about 6 a.m., but for some reason  P.T.O.

3.
was not pushed have, and gave me time to swing
back the centre, while we tried to dig in a few
posts facing the flank.  The ground was hard chalk
though, and trenching tools no good on it.  I think probably
Coulahan was responsible for them holding up that
counter against us for an hour or more.
I hope this will give you what you require.
Sincerely.
I. B. Portman.
P.S.
Pardon the screed.
Times are hard
and writing paper
a luxury.
IBP.
Dr Bean
Lt Blyth
died of wound
on 8 apl 1918

P.P.S.
Blyth had the left flank in this stunt; I
had the centre, and Thomas or a Sergeant
had the right flank, which, on account of
shortage of men, and the thin nature of
the scrub on that flank reached only
to about Seventy yards inside the edge
of the wood.
I judge Blyth was wounded
about 5.15 by a machine gun which
we afterwards found about thirty yards
in front of him, and half way to the
objective.  It was in Sunken bank or
sidling, and had been put out by a
bomb, with its crew.  German Casualties in the
wood were light - it was only held by half
a dozen posts, each of two guns.  But his counter
attacks were expensive, especially from the front
where we caught them in the open with L.G's and
saw them fall in heaps.

107/RIR,.436.
Relief of Prison Gd by 107 RIR 24^2D.
"The enemy lay directly under our
nose, shot at every one of us tt dared [[waste]] to
show himself out of his hole."

SGLauen
107
Times at Hangard. Ap 12 6.30 capt of White radle
Ap 15 3am Barr.
Capt Thomas Li remains of his
I Bn to his HQ
2 hrs prepn by arty
5 am att - no closed inf
133 RIR.
7 Apr. 5.10 Times of Engl att.
In c/a 1 offr & 5 crew of Austlns tn prisoner.
6.25 3rd Engl att. 11 Coy forwd abt 100 ^x back.
Attack Coy 5th Bde ws supptd by
Lt J.S Coolahan's 3 guns firing on
Germs entering S. of Wood
Coolahan ws wd in fight.

YOUR REFERENCE
9884
IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE
12/3/49
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
TELEPHONES:
B 404 & 405
CANBERRA.
F.C.T.
"They gave their lives.  For that public gift
they received a praise which never ages and a
tomb most glorious - not so much the tomb in
which they lie, but that in which their fame
survives, to be remembered for ever when
occasion comes for word or deed.  .  .  .  ."
19th August, 1936.¯¯
Dear Mr. Bazley,
With reference to your letter of the above
number, dated 18th August, I am sending herewith a photostat
copy of the table showing Australian losses between 21st March
and 5th April. 1918, for which you have asked.
Mr. Keage will be going to Melbourne on Monday next
and we have asked him while there to call at Base Records
and obtain the figures which you require for the period up
to 7th May.  He prepared the previous table and it will
probably be more satisfactory in every way if he obtains the
further particulars you require.
Yours sincerely,
J Treloar
[* 88
   251
   225
     16
———
  580*]
Mr. A. W. Bazley,
c/- Official Historian,
Victoria Barracks,
PADDINGTON.  N.S.W.

38
76
533
23
45
6
302
805
128
———
1409
1309
———

Table of Casualties - see original document
AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES ALONG THE FRONT OF THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE DURING
THE PERIOD 21st MARCH to 5th APRIL, 1918.

TELEPHONE:
CENTRAL 4780.
No. ...............
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE.
MELBOURNE, S.C.1.
9th September 1936
Dear Bazley,
Attached hereto is a list of casualties
in the Australian Divisions and Corps Troops during
the period 6th April to 7th May.  It has been compiled
on lines similar to that already supplied by the
Australian War Memorial for the period March 21st to
April 5th 1918.  Killed includes died of wounds and
died of Gas Poisoning, and wounded includes gassed
and shell shock wounds.
I understand that Mr Keage was to have
prepared this list but owing to his illness Mr. Heyes
asked me to run it out for you.  I am sending a copy
of the list to Mr. Heyes for his information.
Yours sincerely,
A.J. Lithers
A.W. Bazley Esq.,
Victoria Barracks,
PADDINGTON.  N.S.W.
P.S.  I have handed over biographical detail cards
to Base Records and have explained to the O.I.C. in
writing and verbally the system I have followed in
their preparation.
AJL.

Table of Casualties - see original document
AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES DURING THE PERIOD 6TH APRIL - 7TH MAY 1918